Method for repairing flooring construction

ABSTRACT

A floor construction is provided which may be used as original installation or in the repair of leaking shower stalls, etc. The floor construction comprises a metal angle, placed at the bottom of the shower stall walls, and succeeding layers of asphalt mastic, waterproof fibrous material, wire lath, mortar and tile. Also provided in connection with the repair of leaking shower stalls is a method for raising the drain so as to compensate for the raised level of the floor.

United States Patent H 1 [111 3,724,158

Knecht 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] METHOD FOR REPAIRING FLOORING xygrs .l Q

, C nan CONSTRUCTION 2,299,705 10/1942 Svirsky ..4/l46 X Inventor: Walter L. Knecht, 51 Cedar Street,

Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Filed: Dec. 14, 1971 Appl. No.: 208,012

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 19,383, March 13, 1970, Pat. No. 3,675,384.

US. Cl ..52/743, 4/146 Int. Cl. ..E04b 1/64 Field of Search ..52/743, 744, 741, 265, 267,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Euers ..52/743 X Primary Examiner-Price C. Faw, Jr. Attorney-Thomas R. Boland [57] ABSTRACT A floor construction is provided which may be used as original installation or in the repair of leaking shower stalls, etc. The floor construction comprises a metal angle, placed at the bottom of the shower stall walls, and succeeding layers of asphalt mastic, waterproo fibrous material, wire lath, mortar and tile.

Also provided in connection with the repair of leaking shower stalls is a method for raising the drain so as to compensate for the raised level of the floor.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENYEU R 3 W5 sum 1 or 2 METHOD FOR REPAIRING FLOORING CONSTRUCTION This is a division, of application Ser. No. 19,383 filed Mar. 13, 1970, and now U.S. Pat. 3,675,384.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a floor construction and more particularly to a tile floor construction for use in shower stalls, dairies, etc.

Shower stalls are generally constructed by first installing a lead pan on the floor of a cubicle and soldering the pan to a drain extending through a relatively small hole in its center. The sides of the pan extend partway up the walls of the cubicle so that when properly installed and soldered, the lead pan provides a waterproof base. The pan is then filled with a cementsand mixture which, while still wet, is faced with tile to a point level with the strainer portion of the drain. The walls of the cubicle are also tiled, at least partway, and are joined with the floor tiling by a seam formed at the juncture between the curved bottom portion of the base line tile and the floor tile. After years of use this seam, and others, will erode and permit water to seep through to the lead pan. Detergents and other chemicals in the water which is thus collected in the pan will eventually cause erosion of the lead and permit leakage into other areas of the house.

In the past, whenever this condition existed, it was necessary to rip out the entire construction including the eroded pan and cement work and replace it with an entirely new construction including a new drain. This, of course, was an involved, time consuming and expensive remedy for the problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A floor construction has now been discovered which may be originally installed in place of the lead pan construction of the prior art, or alternatively, may be used to repair the eroded lead pan condition described above. This unique floor construction comprises a base, walls extending upward from said base, an angle member having one portion affixed to the bottom of said walls in water-tight relationship therewith and the other portion extending substantially outward from said walls, a first layer of mastic coating the base and the affixed portion of said angle, waterproof fibrous material bonded to the affixed portion of said angle by said mastic and extending at least partway along said base, a drain extending upward through an opening in said base, a second layer of mastic covering the'entire area of said base and fibrous material and forming a water-tight seal around said opening for said drain in the base, wire lath secured to the fibrous material by said layer of mastic, cement'itious material bonded to said wire lath and, tile sections anchored to the cemen- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary view in prospective of the present invention a portion being broken away to show the various layers.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the floor construction shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of conventional floor construction showing the eroded lead pan structure repaired according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a metal angle used in this invention.

FIG. 5 shows a different form of the angle illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a view in cross-section of a drain used in the present invention which has been raised to compensate for the raised level of the flooring shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. I shows a floor construction according to this invention which has been installed as part of an original structure. When the flooring is put in place a metal angle member 1 is affixed to the bottom portion of a wall 2-by any suitable means, e.g. screws, nails, etc. An important part of this installation is providing a waterproof seal at the juncture between the wall and the angle. This may be conveniently accomplished by coating that portion of the angle in contact with the wall with a layer of mastic prior to attaching it thereto. Any of the conventional waterproof mastic materials may be employed in this invention although in coating the base area asphalt mastic is particularly preferred. After the angle has been put in place the area underneath its overhanging portion and the entire base area 3 are coated with a first layer of asphalt mastic 4. A layer of waterproof fibrous material 5, such as asphalt impregnated felt, is then placed on the asphalt 4 and coated with a second layer of asphalt mastic 6. A layer 7 of wire lath is then secured to the asphalt layer 6. The wire lath is provided to insure structural strength of the construction. A cement-sand mixture 8 is then poured over the wire lath and spread so as to provide a slight incline from the wall area to the center where a drain, not shown in the present illustration, is generally located. A cement-sand-lime mixture is generally used in building up that portion 9 of the wall under the angle overhang. The entire floor and base line areas are then faced with tile 10. If desired, the tile may be coated with anyone of the conventional sealers, such as a silicone sealer, so as to provide additional protection against water seepage.

FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship of the construction shown in FIG. 1 to a drain 11. The tile layer 10 is positioned flush with the strainer portion of the drain and each of the succeeding layers 4, 6 and 8 are bonded to the body portion of the drain so as to provide a waterproof seal.

In FIG. 3 a floor construction has been shown as repairing an eroded lead pan installation. When this construction is used, a metal angle member 12 may be affixed to base line tile 13 which is bonded to-a mortar layer 14 partially contained in a lead pan 15. The lead pan has been eroded through the action ofchemicals and detergents contained in water which had previously seeped through seams in the tile 13.

In repairing the damaged flooring, that portion of the metal angle affixed to the tile is coated with mastic so as to provide a waterproof seal with the wall. The level of drain 16 is raised by removing thev strainer cover, positioning a drain 17 of similar construction within the inside annular diameter of drain 16 and soldering it in place. This method offers a simple and inexpensive but effective means for raising the level of the drain to compensate for the raised level of the floor.

The surface under the overhanging portion of the metal angle and the tiled area 13 is then coated with a layer 18 of asphalt mastic which also forms a seal around the drain 17. Asphalt impregnated felt 19, or other suitable material is applied to the asphalt coating and its entire area covered with an additional layer of mastic 20. In the usual case the felt material will cover the entire area of the base. Alternatively, it will only extend a short distance from the walls. Wire lath 21 is laid on the asphalt mastic layer 20 and covered with a mortar mixture 22. While the mortar is still wet, cement is sprinkled over its surface and a layer of tile 23 applied thereto. The cement serves to securely anchor the tile to the mortar. While the present illustration shows specific layers of mastic and fibrous material it will be readily understood that the construction of this invention may comprise a plurality of such layers of material.

FIG. 4. illustrates a type of metal angle used in accordance with this invention. FIG. shows a different embodiment of such an angle.

The drain shown in FIG. 6 illustrates the manner in which the level of the original drain is raised to compensate for the raised level of the flooring shown in H0. 3. A drain head 24 is positioned within the inside annular diameter of the original drain 25 and soldered 26 thereto.

Although the drain construction shown in FIG. 6 and the floor construction generally shown herein has been described with reference to specified embodiments it will be readily apparent that these disclosures are exemplary and that the invention is capable of variations all within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for repairing leaking floor constructions having a base, walls extending upward therefrom and a drain in said base, which comprises:

affixing a metal angle to the bottom portion of said walls in water-tight relationship therewith, coating the affixed portion of said angle and at least a portion of said base with a first layer of mastic, applying waterproof fibrous material to said mastic coating, raising said drain, coating said fibrous material and said base with a second layer of mastic, said second layer of mastic forming a waterproof seal around said drain in the base, applying wire lath to said mastic, covering said wire lath with cementitious material, installing tile sections on said cementitious material. 2. A method for repairing leaking floor constructions as defined in claim 1 wherein the water-tight relationship between said angle and said walls is achieved by coating that portion of said angle to be affixed to the walls with mastic.

3. A method for repairing leaking floor constructions as defined in claim 1 wherein said drain is raised by positioning a drain head thereon and soldering it in place.

4. A method for repairing a leaking shower stall construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said mastic is asphalt mastic.

5. A method for repairing a leaking shower stall construction having a'base area, walls extending upward from said base and a drain in said base, which comprises:

coating one portion of a metal angle with waterproof mastic,

affixing said coated portion of said angle to a bottom portion of said walls,

coating the bottom portion of said walls including the affixed portion of said angle and at least part of said base area with a first layer of asphalt mastic, applying tarred felt to said mastic coating,

raising the level of said drain by positioning a drain head on the inside annular diameter of said drain and soldering it in place,

coating said tarred felt and said base with a second layer of asphalt mastic said second layer of mastic forming a waterproof seal around said drain, applying wire lath to said asphalt mastic,

covering said wire lath with cementitious material,

installing tile sections on said cementitious material. 

1. A method for repairing leaking floor constructions having a base, walls extending upward therefrom and a drain in said base, which comprises: affixing a metal angle to the bottom portion of said walls in water-tight relationship therewith, coating the affixed portion of said angle and at least a portion of said base with a first layer of mastic, applying waterproof fibrous material to said mastic coating, raising said drain, coating said fibrous material and said base with a second layer of mastic, said second layer of mastic forming a waterproof seal around said drain in the base, applying wire lath to said mastic, covering said wire lath with cementitious material, installing tile sections on said cementitious material.
 2. A method for repairing leaking floor constructions as defined in claim 1 wherein the water-tight relationship between said angle and said walls is achieved by coating that portion of said angle to be affixed to the walls with mastic.
 3. A method for repairing leaking floor constructions as defined in claim 1 wherein said drain is raised by positioning a drain head thereon and soldering it in place.
 4. A method for repairing a leaking shower stall construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said mastic is asphalt mastic.
 5. A method for repairing a leaking shower stall construction having a base area, walls extending upward from said base and a drain in said base, which comprises: coating one portion of a metal angle with waterproof mastic, affixing said coated portion of said angle to a bottom portion of said walls, coating the bottom portion of said walls including the affixed portion of said angle and at least part of said base area with a first layer of asphalt mastic, applying tarred felt to said mastic coating, raising the level of said drain by positioning a drain head on the inside annular diameter of said drain and soldering it in place, coating said tarred felt and said base with a second layer of asphalt mastic said second layer of mastic forming a waterproof seal around said drain, applying wire lath to said asphalt mastic, covering said wire lath with cementitious material, installing tile sections on said cementitious material. 